Toy railway



J. W. HOLT TOY RAILWAY April 18, 1939.

Filed Feb. 16, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l a R. w WM mm W E O E Wm M W QM F% QM W a N m d 6 i: m H m m m a h 7 g m w w April 18, 19.39. w HOLT 2,154,450

TOY RAILWAY Filed Feb. 16, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EL w JIM;

INVENTOR.

ATTORNE 57 Patented Apr. I8, 1939 I-ILFATENT oFFicE 2,154,450 7 TOY RAILWAY John W. Holt, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application February 16, 1935, Serial No. 6,897

7 Claims.

This invention relates to toy railways, and more particularly railway tracks including 'electric current supply connections; and it is among theobjects of the invention to provide a construction which is particularly durable against rough handling and its resultant distortion and tendency to derailing. Another object is the provision ofunit forms of structure easily assemblable and disassemblable in quite diverse arrangements of main line and branches, as desired. Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

dicated by line VIIVII,

' To the accomplishment'of the foregoing and. related ends,-theinvention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings: v

Fig. 1 is a plan View of an embodiment of the invention; Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged details of rail-connection in plan and side elevation re-' spectivelyjFig. 4 isanother detail in elevation of thirdrail connection; Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective and longitudinal sectional views respectively, of track-support means; Fig. 7, is a plan view of switch construction; Fig. 8 is a transverse section thereof taken on a Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a side elevation; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of third rail detail therein; Figs. 11 and 12 are plan and side elevational details of switch-point detail therein; Fig. 13 isa perspective viewof a modified form of switch-point'detailj Figs. 14 and 15 are'plan and side elevational details of auxiliary switch control means; Fig. 16is a plan view of a modified form of switch; and Fig. 17 is a perspective view of switch-point detail therein.

.5 Referring more particularly to the drawings, 'there'is shown in Fig. 1 an illustrative portion I of track comprising a main line and branch connections. and having track-rails 2, a third rail or current-carrying rail 3, connecting means C 'for joining the main and side lines as desired, .and track-supports 5 at spaced intervals for carrying .the rails. The track rails 2 are in general stripform, over-turnedor rounded on the tread surface if preferred, and advantageously are in standardized pieces. of graduated lengths, to easilyand simply accommodate to wide ranges of construction through arcs of varying number of degrees. The rail sections are joined together of half the plane substantially in-- flange of the member 'the third rail 3 and metal support is obviated. The insulation block l0 may have a length to provide spacers and the ends of the adjoining rail sections may have their tread surfaces in abutting alignment, while a lap-joint effect is provided therebelow, For this, therail end may be stamped, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, such that the lower portion of the end of each rail forms a projecting tongue 1, which is laterally offset to the extent metal thickness, such that the two end-tongues in Fig. 2; provide a reinforced joint, although the wheel-receiving surface is in straight alignment throughout. In the connection of the third rail sections, desirably the end of each rail is provided with a slot 8, such that when lap-jointed with the adjacent third rail section, compensation of length is automatically afforded for the securing means or bolt 9 which passes through the lapping slots. In this way, the third rail length is compensated under all conditions, to different curves irrespective of radius and resultant inherent discrepancy with respect to rail-lengths.

The track-support means comprises generally channel-shaped sheet metal pieces I0 (see Figs. 5 and 6) with wedging transverse recesses to re-- ceive' the track rails 2. In detail, such recesses may be provided between spacers and upstanding tongues H, the latter. conveniently integrally desired, to prevent slipping here, although ordinarily this is not necessary. Within the channel of the support member IE1 is an insulation block l2, having a transverse groove to receive the thirdrail 3. By a suitable cut-out l3 in the metal l0, all danger of contact of short-circuiting onto the i2 may be resiliently gripped in the channel l0, and the length of the block may be equal to or slightly less than the spacing between the recesses receiving the rails 2. Preferably, the portions of the side walls or flanges of the channel equivalent to the width of the gauge of the track. Holes l4 may be provided in the web of the channel support to receive fastening means for securing the track in desired position.

For forming a connection between main line and branch lines, a reversible connection unit is provided. That is, it has track rail surfaces and third rail surfaces available on either side, such that the one unit is connectible either right or left, for branch lines extending in either direction. Special right and left switch construction is thus obviated. As shown in Fig. 7, a desirable construction for this comprises a body l5, which carries at its outer edges the track rails 2, these being fastened to the body for instance by convenient means, such as screws It. The third rail is here seated in a groove in the body, and may comprise the third rail sections 3 for the main line portion, and 3 for the branch, the latter conveniently being riveted or bolted to the former, as at H. In order to permit passage of the train wheels across such third rail at the branch-intersection, the metal of the rail maybe.

suificiently cut down at the points I8, l9, to allow the wheels to ride across without contacting the metal of the third rail at any point, and by providing grooves 20, 2|, of proper depth, the wheelflanges may ride therein such as to carry the weight, if preferred, instead of or in addition to the contacting of the wheel treads on surfaces 22,23. In either case, the wheels are well secured against derailment at point of change of direction. If the body l5 here be made wholly of insulated material, as Bakelite, composition, hard rubber, etc., the securement and insulation of the third rail connection is particularly advantageously attained. The ends of the third rail as projecting beyond the body l5 may be slightly offset or hooked as at 25, and thereby, on account .of' the slight resiliency of the third rail strips,

contact with the next section of the third rail 3 is automatically secured without attaching means, bolts, etc. Desirably, the body l5 may be provided with slightly raised beads 26, 21, 28, 29, to provide ample clearance for the switch-point beneath, also which, being part of the insulation block, serve further to carry all rails above and out of contact with any underlying surface upon which thetrack may be installed, and accidental short-'circuiting on metal surfaces is wholly obviated. By providing the third rail sections 3, 3", in separate upper and lower portions, as seen more clearly in Fig. 8, only the upper or active side aligns with and is in circuit with the adjoining third rail sections 3, and danger of accidental short-circuiting onto any metal surface below is still further obviated. For operation of the switch-point 3| for diverting the train onto the siding, a hand-lever 32 is provided, this being rigidly attached to the switch-point 3| in convenient manner, as by riveting, and as shown more particularly in Figs. 11 and 12, the point 3| is in upper and lower portions 3|, 3|, so as to be available to either surface, whether the switch be one side up for right-connection, or the other side up for left-connection. The construction here may for instance comprise the two limbs 3|, 3| with joining web 33, desirably a space-filling tongue. 34 being slightly out-turned therefrom. The device is mounted in place by being seated against the end of the rail, and to hold the point in its range of position'a coil spring 31 on a lug 38 extending from the web 33 is under compression and rides slideably against an opposed surface 39 on the body l5. It will be understood that the switch-pointdevice is mounted in position in the body I5 before the side rail 2 is put on and fastened by its screw IS, the web 34' being seated against the rail end projection 36, and the spring 31-.- bei-ng abutted against the surface 39 which bounds the cut-out portion which is of sufficient dimensionto just receive the spring and allow of the slight lateral movement necessary in the operation of the switch point. The limbs 3| and 3|" of the switch point ride aboveand below. the

web 40 of the body l5, and are thereby held in assembly regardless of their being swung in openswitch or closed-switch position. Instead of separate spring and operating lever as just described, in some cases a construction preferred is on the order shown in Fig. 13, in which the legs 3| and 3| are joined to a U-shaped combined spring and operating handle 32a. The inner end-portions of this member are expanded apart as at 4|, 42, and when mounted in position in the switch-body, these portions resiliently bind against the upper and lower walls 43, 44, of the slot 45 (Fig. 9), and thereby serve to provide a tendency to retain the switch-point in its position as set, irrespective of the jarring of passing trains. Asa further control of the switch-point against changing out of set position by a train passing through from the side against which it is set, an auxiliary control means such as detailed in- Figs. 14 and 15, is advantageously applied. This provides a link 45 pivotally connected to, the switch lever 32, and riding in the limbs 46,4! of. a bracket 48 bolted or otherwise secured to the side rail 2' (as seen in Fig. 7) Springs 49, 50, on the link 45 between the collar 5| carried by the link 25 and the respective bracket-legs 46 and 41, serve to correspondingly apply pressure ortension to the switchhandle 32 The bracket48; as carried by the bolt 52 on the rail 2 is capable of a limited excursion of movement as permitted ,by ,30

the'slot 53 in the rail receivingthe bolt 52 (see Fig. 9) and blisters or projections 54,;55 on the rail serve as stops in the bodily movemnet of the bracket. The web 48 of the bracketis of such slight resiliency that it allows of the heel ,56 of 35 the bracket slipping over the projection 55in fact,.when pressed sufficiently far. Alternative positionsare thus possible, central orneutral, or a position holding the switch lever and point in set position with the switch-open, but held only 40 sufliciently tightly to prevent permanent movement out of position,.but a train passing to the right, as in Fig. 14., can still force the switchpoint 3| momentarily aside to allow clearance without derailment. In other words, the entire A5 construction. places .a resiliently-held check on accidental 'movement of the switch-point, but allows any necessary compensative movement. as incurred inpassage of wheel flanges.

Instead of forming the switch body entirely of .7550

insulation, itis desirablein some cases to employ more metal in' the construction, andv as shown in Fig. 16, the body |5a. may be ,of metal of. any desired character, in some instances preferably a light metal such as aluminum witha 5 suitably recessed contour, insulating blocks 60, 6|, 62, may be applied, and these may carry. the third rail' 3a With forked downwardly lying ends-for the third rail sections as shown, a further c'onvenience results in that these permit contact with go eitherflat or up-edged third rails in the adjacent tracksections. Advantageously, the same insulated bolt 64; can fasten the third rail section and its supporting pieceof insulation, and

the corresponding third rail section and its sup-,gs

porting insulation on ,the respective upper and lower faces of the switch body, thus furthering the feature of reversibility of the switch for right orleft usage, as above-mentioned... Ifthe third rail sections 3av be mounted flat-wise instead 015.3 0

edge-wise, a thinner piecev of insulation 60,.6| ,-.62, as the case may be, suffices. Again, the rails 2 are secured .to the edges of the switch body by suitable means, such as screws Hi, so that the track surfaces, are equally. available for theup- .7175

from short-circuiting on the seen from the foregoing.

per and lower sides of the structure, and available forright or left usage, depending upon which side is up. The third rail here being discontinuous, the current connection between the sections may be provided by a cable extending alongside through the conduit 65. If desired, an electric switch 66 may be installed at this point for controlling the circuit to the siding, so as to shut off the current therefrom if occasion requires. The switch lever 32b is desirably again of combined spring form, the above limbs Mb, etc., being expansively engaged against the top and bottom walls of the slot in the rail, thereby frictionally tending to hold the switch in the position in which it is set. At their inner ends, the limbs Mb, etc., extend as further projections 61 to be-fastened to and carry the insulated points 68 (one on the top and one on the bottom as a mating pair) to prevent the train contact-shoe height to maintain the contact-shoe sufficiently thereabove in its transit. Extending in the other direction is a movable switch-point 69 which is correspondingly operated by the switch lever 32b, to set it into or out of position with respect to the rail 2.

The manner of use of the invention is readily The track may be made up of its constituent unitary section parts in whatever lay-out of main line and branches or sidings may be desired, and on account of the reversible or dual character of the connection structures or switches, the same fundamental structure therefor may be turned one side up or the other, according as a right or a left divergent from the main line is desired. By reason of the features of construction relative to insulation, furthermore, there is complete safety as regards danger of short-circuiting, irrespective of whatever floor surface the track happens to be installed upon, whether metal'or not.

Other modes of applying the principle of th invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features set forth in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

.1- A switchunit comprising a block of material having diverging side, edges, a pair of diverging wheel bearing rails on opposite side edges ofsaid block and engageable by wheels of. cars passing thereover when either side is up, wheel bearing rails and guard rails formed integrally with said block on both the upper and lower sides of said block for cooperation with the first mentioned wheel bearing rails to form main and branch line tracks, a movable switch point positioned at the junction of the main and branch tracks and. engageable when either side is up to guide cars along the main line or tothe branch line tracks, whereby when one side is up said unit forms a right hand branch track and when inverted a left hand branch track.

2. A switch unit comprising a block of insulating material having diverging side edges, a pair of diverging wheel bearing rails on opposite side edges of said block and engageable by wheels of cars passing thereover when either side is up, wheel bearing rails and guard rails formed integrally with said block on both the upper and lower sides of said block for cooperation with the first mentioned wheel bearing rails to form main and branch line tracks, a movable switch point positioned at the junction of the main and branch track-rail, being of tracks and engageable when either side is up to guide cars along the main line or to the branch line tracks, whereby when one side is up said unit forms a right hand branch track and when inverted a left hand branch track.

3'. A switch unit comprising a metallic block of material having diverging side edges, a pair of diverging wheel bearing rails on opposite side edges of said block and engageable by wheels of cars passing thereover when either side is up, wheel bearing rails and guard rails formed integrally. with said block on both the upper and lower sides of said block for cooperation with the first mentioned wheel bearing rails to form main and branch line tracks, a movable switch point positioned at the junction of the main and branch tracks and engageable when either side is up to guide cars along the main line or to the branch line tracks, whereby when one side is up said unit forms a right hand branch track and when inverted a left hand branch track.

4. A switch unit comprising a block of material having diverging side edges, a pair of diverging wheel bearing rails on opposite side edges of said block and engageable by wheels of cars passing thereover when either side is up, wheel bearing rails and guard rails formed integrally with said block on both the upper and lower sides of said block for cooperation with the first mentioned wheel bearing rails to form main and branch line tracks, a movable switch point positioned'at the junction of the main and branch tracks and engageable when either side is up to guide cars along the main line or to the branch line tracks, whereby when one side is up said unit forms a right hand branch track and when inverted a left hand branch track, and means for attaching third rails to said block between the wheel bearing rails of the main and branch line tracks.

5. A switch unit comprising a block of material having diverging side edges, a pair of diverging wheel bearing rails on opposite side edges of said block and engageable by wheels of cars passing thereover when either side is up, wheel bearing rails and guard rails formed integrally with said block on both the upper and lower sides of said block for cooperation with the first mentioned wheel bearing rails to form main and branch line tracks, a movable switch point positioned at the junction of the main and branch tracks and engageable when either side is up to guide cars along the main line or to the branch line tracks, whereby when one side is up said unit forms a right hand branch track and when inverted a left hand branch track, and means for attaching third rails to said block between the wheel bearing rails of the main and branch line tracks, said third rails being recessed at points of wheel passage.

6. A switch unit comprising a metallic block of material having diverging side edges, a pair of diverging wheel bearing rails on opposite side edges of said block and engageable by wheels of cars passing thereover when either side is up, wheel bearing rails and guard rails formed integrally with said block on both the upper and lower sides of said block for cooperation with the first mentioned wheel bearing rails to form main and branch line tracks, a movable switch point positioned at the junction of the main and branch tracks and engageable when either side is up to guide cars along the main line or to the branch line tracks, whereby when one side is up 1 said unit forms a right hand branch track and when inverted a left hand branch track, third railssecured to said block between the wheel bearing rails of the main and branch line tracks,

and an insulated point movable with said switch said block on both the upper and lower sides of said block for cooperation with the first mentioned Wheel bearing rails to form main and branch line tracks, a movable switch point positioned at the junction of the main and branch tracks and engageable when either side is up to guide cars along the main line or to the branch line tracks, whereby when one side is up said unit forms a right hand branch track and when inverted a left hand branch track, and means on the ends of the wheel bearing rails on opposite sides of said block for attachment to other rails.

JOHN W. HOLT. 

